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    Home » Most Recent

    Fiery Chimichurri Sauce

    May 19, 2017 By Patrick 4 Comments

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    A traditional Argentinian chimichurri sauce is heavy on garlic and light on spice.  This version is heavy on garlic and heavy on spice.

    The kick from the chili powder and cayenne will work wonders when you are serving it with some homemade empanadas, but of course you can always dial back on the spice if you want a milder version.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

    Chimichurri is a popular accompaniment for grilled meats in Argentina and other parts of South America.  It was served with the beef empanadas I would get in Cozumel and I've been looking forward to experimenting with a more fiery version.

    Get in the habit of buying parsley and you'll always have the option of whipping up a quick chimichurri.  It only takes a few minutes to make and you probably already have all the other ingredients you need.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Give the parsley a good rinse and then twist off the thicker, bottom portion of the stems and discard.

    Dice it up fine and you'll end up with about 1 cup of finely chopped parsley.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Combine with 5 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, some freshly cracked pepper, 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Give it a good stir and just like that you've already arrived at Chimichurri Station.

    Take a taste for seasoning; I was happy with the salt level for this batch and didn't add any more.

    While this traditional version of chimichurri is already a keeper, I find it hard to resist adding a bit of heat to it;  1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes would work but I am using a combo of ground New Mexican chili and cayenne to fire it up a little bit.

    These Spicy Ground Beef Nachos have the potential to save your day. Chipotles in adobo give the beef real kick and when loaded on cheese covered tortilla chips they quickly become a go-to meal. Served with a homemade Avocado Salsa Verde and your choice of fixings. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Start small and add gradually if you are using cayenne as it is potent.  I used 1/2 teaspoon of the ground New Mexican chili and a small pinch of cayenne, probably less than 1/8 teaspoon.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    You're left with a vibrant, fiery, garlicky sauce that will work wonders on an assortment of dishes, with a special nod to our recent Beef Empanadas.

    Flaky, tender dough make these empanadas a recipe worth repeating. We're using a delicious spicy beef mixture to kick them up a notch. So good! mexicanplease.com

    So good!

    If you're guilty of limiting parsley to the garnish realm then give this chimichurri sauce a try.  It's a classic sauce to have in your repertoire and is surprisingly easy to make.

    Buen Provecho.

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Fiery Chimichurri Sauce

    I'm using chili powder and cayenne to give a traditional chimichurri sauce some real kick! This version really shines when served with some homemade empanadas.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 113kcal
    Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch parsley (1 cup chopped)
    • 5 cloves garlic
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
    • pinch of cayenne (1/8 teaspoon or less)
    • 2/3 cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • freshly cracked pepper

    Instructions

    • Give the parsley a good rinse and then twist off the thicker, bottom portion of the stems and discard.  Finely dice the parsley, you'll end up with approximately 1 cup of chopped parsley. 
    • Combine the parsley with 5 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, some freshly cracked pepper, 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
    • Mix well and take a taste for seasoning.  This is the traditional version of chimichurri;  adding spice is optional. 
    • Add 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and a pinch of cayenne.   Combine well and take a taste, adding more heat if necessary. 
    • Serve immediately.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

    Notes

    You can substitute 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for the chili powder and cayenne. 
     
    If you don't have fresh lemons on hand you can use another tablespoon of the vinegar. 
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    This sauce will also go well with our Spicy Chicken and Pickled Jalapeno Empanadas.

    Here's a great combo to consider for your next batch of homemade empanadas: spicy chicken and pickled jalapenos. Don't forget to chill the dough before rolling it out as this will keep them light and flaky. So good! mexicanplease.com

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dana

      June 19, 2018 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      This is wonderful! I doubled the recipe and I mixed both Italian and curly parsley, some cilantro and baby kale, all from the garden. I subbed balsamic because that's what we had. Mixed it with roasted beets, pine nuts, brown rice, and black beans. Soooo delish and easy. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        June 21, 2018 at 9:03 pm

        Thanks Dana! Yum those sound like some great additions. Cheers.

        Reply
    2. Amy

      May 20, 2017 at 1:14 pm

      This looks really good! I'm definitely going to try this (and may try my hand at your empanadas too).

      Quick question - not sure if you addressed it, but I see you have curly leaf in the photo. Is that better to use than flat leaf? Just curious if there's any major taste difference in the end product.

      Thanks! Love your site!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        May 20, 2017 at 3:04 pm

        Hi Amy, thanks for your note!

        If you have fresh flat leaf available I would probably go for that as it seems to win the taste battle with most people:

        http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-flat-leaf-curly-leaf-parsley-175565

        https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/3089/parsley-flat-leaf-or-curly

        But either variety should produce a great chimichurri. Cheers 🙂

        Patrick

        Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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